Incomplete
by Master-Sephiroth
Summary: Sephiroth had never been able to feel any emotion, even resorting to exchanging his soul for that of a demon's, but it seemed nothing would give him emotion. And then he found Cloud Strife... - Alternate Universe FFVII timeline, AU!Seph x FF7!Cloud
1. Chapter 1

_Cold... so cold... dead inside... why is this...? _Green cat-like eyes looked up at the sky, their owner kneeling on the floor with his hands folded in his lap. _Like I'm... incomplete..._

He'd never been able to feel anything from a very young age. No anger. No sadness. No happiness. Nothing. All he wanted was to feel emotions. His world was but a drab greyscale. He'd tried _everything_ he could - hell, he even sold his soul to a demon and received the soul of an incubus in return - to have emotions, but even that hadn't worked. Feeding off others' passion only gave him a brief time of feeling, and each time became more and more brief.

Somewhere out there... there had to be a way he could regain his emotion. Either that, or the tentative grip he had on sanity would be lost. He slowly stood up and left to return to his apartment. To another night of cold existence.

/ / /

It was late at the 7th Heaven Bar. Tifa Lockhart hummed to herself as she closed up the bar for the night and cleaned the tables. She tried to remain cheerful but something was on her mind. The repetitive task helped her to think about what she was going to do.

After half an hour the bar and the tables were all clean, so she put away the cleaning equipent and went up to the flat above the bar, knocking on the nearest closed door.

"Cloud?" No answer came. Tifa knocked again, but still nothing. She slowly opened the door and cautiously stepped inside, looking around the small bedroom. Cloud was laying on the bed, his face buried in his pillow and he appeared to be silently sobbing. "What's the matter?" Tifa gently stroked through Cloud's spiky blonde hair. He didn't answer her. He couldn't answer her. It hurt him too much to think about it.

Yet Cloud felt as if something was missing. It wasn't just the loss of one of his closest friends. It was something else. Something he couldn't explain...


	2. Chapter 2

The alarm must have gone off at least twenty-five times in the past four hours. Sephiroth still hadn't got out of bed. He had no motivation to. Eventually though the noise hurt his ears and he slammed the snooze button on the alarm clock, pushing his messy bangs from his face. He glanced at the time. 13:42. Another morning slept away. Not that he had the emotion to care.

Why did he continue to hold out? Was he still holding onto a snatch of hope? He pondered as he slipped into his clothes and sorted his appearance so he looked at least presentable, then left his apartment.

The streets of Sector 4 of Midgar were as dull and drab as they ever were in his mind. He kept his head bowed slightly to keep his gaze away from people. He found it too hard to look at anyone with emotions. At first he'd tried to put on a front, but he couldn't keep it up. Wandering aimlessly through the streets did little for him other than give him a chance to breathe in the smoggy air.

Meanwhile, Cloud was taking a walk himself. Tifa had told him to buy a few things from one of the shops in Sector 4. He hummed to himself as he walked, looking around for the shop he was after. As he walked, a brief flash of silver caught his eye. He felt drawn to it, but he shook his head and tried not to think about it.

Sephiroth looked up just as Cloud glanced across, and the moment their eyes met, though only brief, the former General felt as if something had exploded inside him. The colours of the world seemed to dazzle him. He felt the first stirrings of emotion. Real, genuine emotions. He felt _alive_. That blonde he'd caught the eye of... he had to be the one who had given him everything back. He pushed through a crowd of people to follow the blonde, as if his life depended on it.

Cloud was unaware that he was being followed and he headed into the shop to buy the things that Tifa had asked for, yet now he was distracted. Those eyes he'd met... those green cat-like eyes... he wanted to see them again. Wanted to see their _owner_. He paid for the groceries and left the shop, only to be pulled by a pair of strong arms towards a warm, hard, muscled chest. The blonde squeaked in his throat and dropped the bag of groceries, looking up. And there he saw those eyes he'd wanted to see again, though he couldn't explain why.

"I... uhh..." Cloud was lost for words, but in these arms he felt _safe_, though he barely knew the man holding him... or did he know more than he thought?

"You..." Sephiroth began, his voice a soft purr. The blonde was instantly captivated, wanting to hear that voice again. "You saved me."

Cloud blinked confused blue eyes. The two had only just met! How could he have saved him? "...I don't understand... how... did I save you?"

"I can't explain it all now... but in time I will." The silver-haired man tilted Cloud's chin up with a finger and kissed him firmly on the lips. Cloud should have probably backed off but he couldn't find the will to resist, nor did he want to. He melted into the kiss and his eyes slipped closed. It felt as if sparks were crackling between the two. Sephiroth slowly, albeit reluctantly, pulled away and released his hold on Cloud. "You look like you have something to do. You should go."

The blonde hesitated before picking up the bag of groceries. "Will I see you again?" The words came out before he could swallow them. He looked to where Sephiroth had been, and found he was already gone. Cloud shook his head and blinked. What had just happened? He walked back to 7th Heaven, though he found he was dragging his feet.

"You took a little longer than I thought. Was there trouble?" Tifa asked as Cloud entered the bar, handing the bag of groceries to her. It took him a moment to gather his thoughts. Could he tell her about that brief exchange? Though the two were childhood friends, she mightn't understand.

"Just... a queue." Cloud quickly headed upstairs to his room and flopped down on the bed, hugging his pillow in his arms. His thoughts were whirling. Too much at once. He thought about that brief moment where he'd been in Sephiroth's arms and thought about how he'd felt as if he'd been almost completely mended in that short time.

_I know you're thinking about me. _The voice was an alluring sound in Cloud's mind. He nearly jumped even though he recognised it. Sephiroth's voice in his mind... how was that possible?

"Are you... reading my mind?" Cloud gasped, clutching the pillow to his chest. He tried to close off his mind but he couldn't. Tears unconsciously formed in his eyes, almost as if part of him didn't want to shut Sephiroth out, but the man had invaded his privacy.

_Our minds are connected now. You and I are as one..._ Again, the words didn't make much sense to Cloud, but he couldn't find it in his heart to doubt them. Why was he suddenly unable to set boundaries when Sephiroth contacted him? That man had flipped his world completely upside down and he didn't know how to turn it back upright.

"Why are you doing this to me? What's so special about _me_?"

_You saved me._ The same explanation Cloud had heard from Sephiroth's lips. It still confused him.

"From _what_ though?" The blonde shouted the words, but he slumped down to the bed. He heard Tifa rushing into the room and checking on him. He ushered her out, not really wanting to explain to her. She reluctantly left and headed back downstairs.

_From a bleak existence. An existence of no colour and no emotion. You gave it all back... I don't know how, but you did._ Cloud felt his heart lurch. He'd saved Sephiroth from all that? Just by a brief exchange of glances? How was that even possible? Perhaps he'd have to find the answers later.

"I... gave you your life back?" Cloud's voice was quiet. He didn't want to bring Tifa back up here. He heard Sephiroth chuckle mentally in his mind, the sound causing little crackles of electricity to spark in his body.

_You did. You gave me everything back, Cloud. I thought that I was doomed to live a cold existence forever. _The blonde felt an odd stirring in his body as Sephiroth spoke his name in his mind. He then remembered back to his times when they were both working for the Shinra Electric Power Company... how he'd looked up to this man and aspired to be like him. And then he remembered the two had never _ever_ made eye contact during that time. _Reminiscing, are we?_

Cloud was broken from his reverie and he blinked. "Just... yeah." He rubbed his spiky hair and sighed. "Will we... you know, see each other again...?" His voice drifted off as he started to fall asleep, weary from thought.

_We will. Very soon..._


	3. Chapter 3

Cloud woke up early the next morning to deathly silence. His room suddenly seemed uninviting. As he stood up and stretched, he found he'd fallen asleep in his clothes. _What happened to me last night_, he wondered as he headed into the bathroom to take a shower.

He peeled off his dirty clothes and turned the water on, waiting for a minute to let the water warm up before he stepped in, the hot water helping to wake him up.

_You're up early. _Cloud almost shrieked as the voice rang in his mind. His hands instinctively reached to cover his groin though no-one was there. A soft mental chuckle filled his subconscious. _It's not like anyone can see your jewels... _The blonde whimpered a little and quickly washed, needing to get out of there. He found Sephiroth to be alluring and creepy at the same time. This wasn't right. He turned the shower off and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his waist before he headed back into the bedroom.

"You couldn't... you know... see me... in there, could you?" It was a completely ridiculous question. Cloud's cheeks turned red and he ducked his head.

_I could have if I wanted to. I chose not to._ Sephiroth's mental voice was calm. _I'd much rather see you for real than in my head, Cloud._

"I would too..." The words left the blonde's mouth before he could stop them. He then stood up and went to get dressed, picking out a simple attire of a loose T-shirt and a pair of jeans. "I'm guessing you'll want to meet me then?"

Cloud felt his heart swell when he heard Sephiroth's response. _Yes. I'll meet you outside the theatre on Loveless Avenue._

"See you then." The blonde picked up his wallet and put it into his pocket, looking over at where the Buster Sword stood against the wall. He swallowed and closed his eyes, thinking briefly about his best friend Zack Fair. He quickly left after, not wanting to think too much. It was too painful.

/ / /

As he'd mentally told Cloud, Sephiroth was waiting outside the theatre on Loveless Avenue, tapping his foot. His long black coat fluttered in the light breeze that was blowing. He kept an eye out for Cloud though even as his gaze darted around the area.

It wasn't long until the blonde showed up. Their gazes met and the two ran up to each other, Cloud leaping into Sephiroth's arms as if he were a long lost lover, despite the fact they barely knew each other.

"You're still as beautiful as I thought you to be." The silver-haired man tilted Cloud's head up as he'd done before so he could look into the blonde's eyes. A blush crept along his cheeks.

"I-I'm not beautiful..." Cloud was thinking he should probably go, but he felt safe in those arms. He felt trapped but safe. It was so odd...

"Let's go back to my apartment. Come on, Cloud." Sephiroth picked up the blonde and cuddled him close as he walked back to his apartment. Luckily it wasn't far from Loveless Avenue. He unlocked the door and carried the other man inside, setting him down on the couch and kissing his cheek. Cloud blushed but managed a smile.

"I have... questions." So many questions. The blonde didn't know where to start.

"You can ask those later. Would you like something to eat or drink?"

Cloud shook his head and watched as Sephiroth sat next to him. He looked over at the other. "I have to ask you. How did I save you from this bleak existence you mentioned?"

It took a while before Sephiroth spoke. "You brought emotions back into my world. I don't know how, but... you did, as I stated yesterday." The silver-haired man took one of Cloud's hands and pressed a soft kiss to the back of it.

"I did that?" The blonde's cheeks heated up but it wasn't due to embarrassment. "Maybe... some day, we'll find out."

"Some day." Sephiroth leaned in to steal a quick kiss. "For now, though..." He moved closer, pushing Cloud down against the couch and leaning over him. "Let me give you a small something in return." He leaned in and pressed his lips firmly to the blonde's, kissing him hungrily. Cloud tilted his head and wrapped his arms around the other man's neck, melting into the kiss. He parted his lips and Sephiroth slipped his tongue inside, tasting the blonde and savouring it.

_So perfect, so delicious... _The words slipped into Cloud's mind as Sephiroth dominated his mouth, their tongues twisting together in an exotic dance. The blonde reached down to twirl silver tresses of hair around his fingers.

When Sephiroth finally broke the kiss for air, Cloud felt limp. He looked up at the other man with glazed eyes and blinked slowly, feeling warm throughout his whole body. "I... that was... wow..." The blonde couldn't even form a coherent sentence.

"I can tell you enjoyed that." The silverette smiled softly and pulled Cloud up, his smile widening as the younger man snuggled close to him. "There is one thing I should teach you though."

Cloud slowly looked up. "Which is?"

"Let me demonstrate." Sephiroth rested his hand on Cloud's thigh and closed his eyes slowly. _Since you and I are connected... we can speak directly into each other's minds. All you have to do is think about reaching out to me. Try it. _The blonde nodded and closed his eyes. His head hurt a little as he tried to mentally reach for Sephiroth, but he continued to do so and eventually he managed something.

_...can you... hear me...?_ Cloud's mental voice was crackly and faint, like a radio that wasn't tuned in properly. Sephiroth kissed the younger man's temple.

_I can hear you, Cloud. Keep practicing. This mental communication will get easier with practice, I promise._

Cloud managed a little smile and focused again. This time his head didn't hurt so much. _It feels... easier... already. _His hand found Sephiroth's and squeezed gently. _I should probably go. _The mental words caused an uncomfortable tug in his heart but he presumed that was because of their connection. _I didn't tell Tifa where I was going. She's probably worried._

Sephiroth gave a subtle nod, though he felt a tear run down his cheek. _We'll see each other again._

_We will... _Cloud stood up and wiped the tear from the other man's cheek. He noticed a very faint frim of bright gold in the other man's eyes but made no comment on it. He pondered it though. What could it mean? Slowly the blonde left, deep in thought.

/ / /

"Where have you been?" Tifa demanded the moment that Cloud walked back through the door into 7th Heaven. "You've had me worried sick!"

Cloud looked down and didn't answer her question. He was too preoccupied with his thoughts. That golden rim he'd seen in Sephiroth's eyes... it wasn't human. Tifa grabbed his shoulders and tried to look into his eyes.

"Cloud, talk to me..." Tifa gasped as Cloud shoved her away a little roughly and stomped up to his bedroom. He really wasn't in a mood to talk. His thoughts were in turmoil. So much new information. Confusion in old memories.

Back when he was just a Cadet for Shinra, Cloud had always been quiet and reserved. He'd never really made any friends, aside from the friend he had in Zack Fair. And then when he'd caught glimpses of General Sephiroth, he'd felt an odd pull. It scared him, so he tried to ignore it. The two never came across each other much, but they knew each other's names. Eventually though Cloud couldn't take the constant tugging on the inner fibres of his being and he left Shinra. He never heard about Sephiroth again, but he kept close tabs on Zack. When he learned that Shinra troops were after him, the blonde had felt heartbroken. He'd gone to try and rescue Zack but by the time he'd arrived, it was too late. His friend was dying and there was nothing Cloud could do to save him, apart from keeping Zack's memory alive as his living legacy.

The blonde clutched his pillow and sobbed into it as the memories replayed themselves in his head, curling up into a little ball. He didn't even register the sounds of the door opening and Tifa rushing in to comfort him. She knew he was hurt emotionally, she knew a little bit about why, but she hadn't asked further.

"Cloud... shhh... it's alright..." Tifa knew in her heart that it _wasn't_ alright, but it was all she could think of. She gently stroked Cloud's spiky hair and wiped away his tears. "Shhh..."

"It's not alright!" Cloud practically shrieked the words, trying to shuffle away from Tifa. He couldn't handle her touching him now. It felt repulsive. He was about to run out of the room when a familiar voice rang in his mind.

_You're hurting... _The blonde could hear that Sephiroth's mental voice was breaking, as if he were about to cry. _Cloud... come back to me. Let me help soothe your pain..._ Cloud wasn't sure again, but there was that note in the voice that he just couldn't bring himself to ignore, no matter how hard he tried. He turned to leave his room. Tifa tried to pull him back but he pulled away, hurrying towards Sephiroth's apartment as if he'd been there a million times before.

/ / /

Sephiroth opened the door just before Cloud got to his apartment, quickly opening his arms for the blonde and cuddling him close. "Shhh. What's the matter, Cloud?"

_I don't want to talk about it... _The blonde was too upset to speak normally, but his mind was open and showing the silverette what had made him so upset - remembering how Zack had died at the hands of the Shinra troops. Sephiroth just continued to cuddle Cloud while he carried the younger man into his apartment and up to his bedroom, laying him down on a large double bed with black satin sheets and plump pillows.

"You can rest here. I'll go and-" the former General began, but Cloud cut him off.

"Don't go..." The blonde's voice was faint and broken. Though he still was in two minds about Sephiroth, his need for comfort trumped all else. "Take the pain away..."

Sephiroth looked down briefly. Could he take away the pain? Even if he couldn't, he'd do what he could to soothe it. He climbed up on the bed next to Cloud, wrapping his arms around the smaller frame and nuzzling close. "I'll do what I can..."

_That's all I need... _The thought escaped Cloud's subconscious before he could push it back, but he curled up close and shut his eyes, trying to sleep. _I've got so many questions to ask in the morning..._


End file.
